Rocktstar’s Grand Theft Auto 5, named GTA5 for short is the most awaited game of 2013, and with such a high profile, lots of rumors have been flying around. Here, though, is some confirmed data for the fans.

The data featured in this article comes straight from the magazine Game Informer and IGN‘s website, who finally provided some hard facts for the expecting fans. And the good part is that it seems these news will (and should!) please mostly everyone.

GTA 5 will have 3 playable characters (Michael, Trevor and Franklin), who players will be able to switch constantly with a single button press, so there will be different perspectives and point of views in each mission. Michael is a former bank robber in his early 40s who goes back in the game as his wife is burning through his fortune. Trevor is the second protagonist, around the same age, and is described as a “drugged out psychopath”, a career criminal and prone to violence.

Finally, Franklin, is a younger guy, in his mid 20s who works as a repo man. Game Informer described him as “the young and capable one of the bunch.” The three of them will be performing several heists along the game in a map that is reported to be bigger than the one in Red Dead Redemption, GTAIV and GTA: San Andreas combined. Yes, you read that right: the map is three times the size of previous games!

Each character has a different skillset which will come in handy for different parts of each heist. For example, Michael can rappel down the side of buildings while Franklin uses a sniper rifle from afar to protect him and Trevor flies a helicopter above. Players will switch back and forth helping each of the characters out (say, Franklin taking enemies out so Michael can advance) and then escaping using Trevor’s helicopter while the rest shoot the enemies chasing them.

The customization will be back in full force, and each character will be able to be tweaked to the players liking with slight RPG elements akin to GTA: San Andreas, but also clothes and gear.

Grand Theft Auto V is set to be released on Spring 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (sorry, PC and Wii U fans, you’ll have to wait on this one) and promises to fulfill everyone’s expectations with it. To be honest, we can’t wait to see.